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Year 2013 has been a glorious year for Indian Cinema. Firstly, the audience and the film industry folk alike celebrated 100 years of Indian Cinema. Secondly, several films like Chennai Express, Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-leela, entered the 100-crore club. Thirdly, Chennai Express, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-leela collected over 200 crores at the Box Office. In regional cinema too, Duniyadaari (Marathi), did extremely well and collected over 20 crores at the Box Office. While Kannada films, Vardhanayaka, Bulbul and Bachchan made over 10 crores each at the Box Office.

While these films made very good money and had the respective producers laughing all the way to the banks, there were a couple of films that were rich in content, but failed to make their mark amongst the audience.

This film is for city-bred people. When Hari Got Married is the story of Hari’s marriage, but yet is far more than just that. It takes up from the point where we regard everyday things as trivial, and captures the essence of life gradually and shows human emotions in its most natural moments. As you watch this film you’ll realize how much you miss in the rat-race. The film gives you a voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of the real simpletons of the country. It’s so simple that it will slow your thoughts down and make you look at the wonders of the world you live in, which otherwise go unnoticed. If you’re fascinated by the idea of a rustic life, romance and marriage or simply tired of chasing your dreams, watch this film and you will find peace. The film is directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam.

A 13 year-old skinny lad runs away from his boarding school only to go on a journey from Satara to Kolhapur. A journey that changed his life forever. Watch this film for the way it brings about the truths of life. Watch it for the heart-wrenching performances by Smita Tambe and Chinmay Sant. Watch it because it’s a road trip of a different sort, one taken on foot. Watch it for the hard-hitting dialogues delivered in rustic Marathi. And watch it for the slow moments that are either full of silence or emotional monologues.

It is said of good films, that every time you see them, you discover something new. Lucia is one of those films. Set in Bangalore, the film begins with Nikki (Neenasam Satish), an insomniac, having a pretty laid-back life as an usher in Shankaranna’s (his guardian) movie theatre. Pawan Kumar (director) brings out his insomnia and the blurring lines between dreams and reality in an intelligent yet artistic way. What makes Lucia special is the execution of the plot and the finesse in the music, cinematography and acting. What makes Lucia more special is the fact that it’s a crowd-funded film that was financed with the money raised by Pawan Kumar through a social media campaign. This film deserves a watch more than once for sure.

Shahid isn’t just biopic but a brave journey through the life of the criminal lawyer, Shahid Azmi (Raj Kumar Yadav). It’s the story of a man who stood up for what he believed in and died for it. The film captures the truth of modern India, where the impatient upholders of justice, find a lamb to be sacrificed for growing violence in the country. Raj Kumar Yadav as the protagonist along with Kay Kay Menon and Tigmanshu Dhulia put up a spectacular performance. The acting was so real that you begin to relate with the characters onscreen.

Set in Kolhapur, Popat is the story about three young boys from a village who are on their way to find the meaning of the word Popat in the true sense. The film’s story is inspired by currently running Government awareness program. In a subtle manner, director Satish Rajwade portrays the dubious mentality of society and its unwillingness to accept the truth. Watch this film for outstanding performances by Atul Kulkarni, Amey Wagh, Ketan and Siddharth.

Listen Amaya is the story of how a 22 year-old Amaya, has to come to terms with the new man (Farooque Shaikh) in her widowed mother’s (Deepti Naval) life. The beauty of Listen Amaya lies in its handling of a topic like remarriage and the emotions involved in it. Seen in yesteryear hits like Chashme Buddoor, Kisi Se Naa Kehna and more, Deepti Naval and Farooque Shaikh share the same chemistry that they did years ago. This is the kind of film that you should watch with your folks.

Mere Dad Ki Maruti is a typical Yashraj film; high on energy and pleasantly sentimental. The film is full of Punjabi wit, grammatically incorrect English teen lingo, and above all, a wedding in the backdrop. However terrible the one-liners be, you can’t help but laugh at them. Although the film has nothing new to offer, the performances by Saqib, Prabal and Rhea, and the work of the film’s director, Ashima Chibber are remarkable. All in all, it’s a fun film, packaged with good music.

For a man who has made films like Kal Ho Naa Ho and Salaam-e-Ishq, D-Day came as a surprise package. D-Day is the story of a team of experts, Rudra Pratap (Arjun Rampal), Wali Khan (Irrfan Khan), Zoya Rehman (Huma Qureshi), dispatched to bring in The Most Wanted Man in India, Iqbal Seth aka Goldman (Rishi Kapoor). They almost achieve the unthinkable… until something goes horribly wrong. The film was compared to Zero Dark Thirty, but that’s probably because both films were set in what looks like Pakistan. However, whether it’s the picturization of a shoot-out in the market-place, the chawl where the four RAW agents hide out, or the wedding of Goldman’s son, D-Day’s interpretation of Pakistan is purely based on how Advani’s visualized and presented it. Watch this film for its tight direction, that will only just once in a while let you off the hook to gasp and breathe.

Watch these films because they simply deserve a larger audience. They embody what good cinema is truly supposed to embody. And in the future, these very films maybe considered as cult classics.